bemoan 2013 as the end of RIT as we know it (this presupposes that the world will not end in 2012). Alumni

Michael Conti

and students alike feel betrayed by a man who, until two weeks ago, was by all accounts a well loved

| copy@reportermag.com
NEWS EDITOR

Emily Bogle

president.

| news@reportermag.com
LEISURE EDITOR

I find it absolutely hilarious.

Alex Rogala

It’s got everything that makes for great television. A bleak wintry college campus! An evil banjo-wielding

| leisure@reportermag.com
FEATURES EDITOR

president hell-bent on making children and women cry! Secret votes! Protests! Bread riots! Communism!

John Howard

The only things we’re missing is a mad Cossack monk and a balding leader of political dissidents, and

| features@reportermag.com
Sam McCord

SPORTS/VIEWS EDITOR

| sports@reportermag.com
ONLINE EDITOR

FEAR AND LOATHING IN HENRIETTA
Right now, the campus is buzzing with talk of semesters and petitions and protests. Facebook groups

| managing.editor@reportermag.com

Emily Mohlmann

we’re ready for an RIT Revolution.
Now, I don’t mean to sound callous or insensitive to people’s concerns. I just happen to think this might
be the funniest way to end my college career. Never would I have imagined that a campus community so
frustrated with itself could suddenly become so passionate about the loss of a calendar that drew so much

The outrage over this transition has been made even better due to Student Government’s supposed
“secret vote.”
As much as I love to see SG be vilified, they had the best of intentions, which were colored by bad
execution. I was at that meeting. This is what happened: Following the official vote on what to recommend
to Destler — which resulted in a majority vote for the quarter system — they decided to hold a straw poll
to test “the purity” of the actual vote. Where they screwed up was when they closed the meeting, turned

ART
ART DIRECTOR

off the cameras and kicked my staff reporter out.

Kelvin Patterson

The poll, which was unanimously for semesters (minus my abstention – I never vote, even when it

| art.director@reportermag.com
SENIOR STAFF DESIGNER
STAFF DESIGNERS

Evan Anthony

Cassie Angerosa, Nicholas

doesn’t count), was done behind closed doors, just ripe for misunderstanding. The results showed this:
While Student Government had voted for quarters, effectively representing the “majority” of student
opinion, the senators themselves believed semesters were the best course of action.

Tassone
AD DESIGNER

Pile on a confusing email from Dr. Destler, the announced implementation of +/- grades, and the

Lisa Barnes

PHOTO EDITOR

Steve Pfost

shitshow that is Week 10, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a PR nightmare.

| photo@reportermag.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Just remember this as you’re about to storm the Hermitage: It might be emotionally satisfying right
Jake Hamm

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Aly Artusio-

Glimpse, Rigo Perdomo, Mohamed Sadek
STAFF ILLUSTRATOR

now to sign a petition or write nasty things on Facebook, but the decision has been made. No amount of
internet-ing will change that.

Nate Peyton

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS

Jamie Douglas,

Joanna Eberts
CARTOONIST

Jamie Douglas and Ben Rubin

Andy Rees
EDITOR IN CHIEF

PUBLICITY MANAGER

Erick Davidson

AD MANAGER Alecia

Crawford
by Jamie Douglas and Andy Rees

BUSINESS

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Tom Sciotto

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Jayadev Alapati

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Viktor Nagornyy

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CONTACT

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CARTOON

ADVISOR Rudy

“We are gathered here today so that you can feel bad about all the things you did last week.”

Since when does RIT have an orchestra?
Semester Switch Approved
Starting in 2013, quarters will be no more.
Programming Binge
RIT hackers help Haiti.

Cover illustration by Nate Peyton

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Reporter,
To start off, I’d just like to let you know that

of women should be featured or that they are

of the things that I feel like Reporter did well,

I appreciate the amount of work you put into

the only ones with body image issues. All

and offer some suggestions for next time. I

Reporter on top of your other obligations both

women and men suffer from their own forms

loved the piece on the senators. It was very

scholarly and social. However, I really feel like

of body image issues, which all deserve equal

eye opening and clever, and more in the vein

the February 5 issue (the Body Image Issue)

weight and attention. But why is it okay for

of what you perhaps were trying to go for by

missed its mark.

the fit and slim women of RIT to complain of

discussing body image at all. Even your piece

lack of bust and not for the voluptuous ones

on how beauty has changed was interesting,

As a six-foot-tall, size 14 woman with a
formidable amount of curves to my name, I

to complain of too much? Why are the men in

as well as the piece on Kyle Travers of RIT

can safely say that seeing “body image issue”

this issue portrayed in all different forms and

Wrestling. I feel like even the main piece

printed on any high-circulation publication is

allowed to be happy with who they are, but

would have been okay with some greater

enough to make me pick it up. Unfortunately,

no female equivalent appears? I do recognize

variety in models.

from the get-go, the recent issue of your

that there is a certain time constraint to your

magazine made me want to weep for the good

jobs, and that a weekly magazine as involved

deep and wounded issue, scrap the fluff

deed that I know you were trying to do.

as Reporter may not always have the time to

articles on the history of the bathing suit and

find the “perfect” candidates for the photo

the ways people in different countries see

Your magazine included no articles on health

In the future, though, if tackling such a

versus body image, which is a fundamental

accompaniments to an article. However, this

beauty. Talk about how to be healthy, not how

topic to bring up in any body image discussion.

issue treads on such delicate and sensitive

much our world likes thin people. Believe me,

Weight should not only be discussed in

ground that your inattention to these details

we all know. Talk about empowering men

terms of beauty, but your articles seemed

here is not excusable.

and women to live in a way that fulfills and

to only point to this (very subjective) facet

Finally, while you have no control over

enriches them. Talk about going to the gym

of the discussion at hand, including the

this, I was saddened to see the responses of

to add years to your life, not take inches from

article naming a size-four waist model as

the “Word on the Street” piece. Most males

your waist. I want to see photographs of six

revolutionary to the world of fashion. In fact,

responded with some form of desire for a

people who each weigh 200 lbs. – you wouldn’t

as a former plus size model, I can attest to

athletic, tall, sexy, thin, etc. female. Does

have to state the exact weight – to show how

the fact that plus size models START at size

that mean that women who don’t fit these

it’s not exactly this horrific number and how

twelve or fourteen. This size four model may

criteria aren’t worthy of love or attention, or

it looks different on different bodies and is

not be the ideal for high fashion modeling,

aren’t interesting, funny, talented, clever or

still beautiful. Be creative. Be humble, not

but she would never get a gig walking for

incredible in their own ways, or even desired

accusative. Avoid labels that lump people into

Anna Scholz. I found the article immensely

by the males of RIT? It’s sad that even here,

categories: no more “fat kid,” “big” or even

offensive and limited in scope, even down

at this stage in our lives, the stereotypes

to the title: “A ‘BIG’ Trend on the Loom?” Is a

for future hatred and bigotry against people

and unhappy people of all shapes and sizes.

size four considered “big” now? Why do you

who are merely shaped differently is being

There is no reason why, as human beings, we

even have to go there with the language? “Big”

formed. I know that there is no way (or sense)

can’t learn to look past the shape of someone’s

is not exactly a nice word. Try it on yourself

in controlling people’s personal preferences.

body to what they have to say or what they are

sometime. Stare into the mirror and say, “Your

But, I would have liked to see some responses

in being.

butt is big. Your waist is big. Your arms are big.”

from males who thought about something

Flattered yet?

other than a thin, athletic beauty queen as

In addition, while beautiful, the photography

“skinny.” And finally, show healthy and happy

Take it from a beautiful girl.

the ideal mate. There are many single women

Liliya Plotkina

for this issue was almost an even bigger

here who are brilliant and lovely, but would

Second Year Advertising & Public Relations

disappointment. Not a single woman featured

feel discouraged by the number of this type of

was plus sized. Not a single one was overtly

response in the piece.

curvy. This is NOT to say that only these types

In conclusion, I do want to talk about some

EDITOR’S NOTE: The models who posed for “Body Issue” responded to an open casting call. No one who applied was omitted from publication. Additional
letters to the editor that could not be printed due to space constraints may be found at http://reportermag.com/tag/letters-to-the-editor.
Note: Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are solely those of the author. Reporter reserves the right to edit submissions on the basis of content, length, grammar,
spelling, and style. Letters are not guaranteed publication. Submissions may be printed and reprinted in any medium. Reporter will not run letters that are responding
to a letter. Reporter will not publish anonymous letters.

4 Letters | 02.19.09

GALLERY SALON TOO: OUT OF BUSINESS

by James Arn | photographs by Rigo Perdomo

Park Point hasn’t been nearly as successful
as Wilmorite had hoped it would be when
it opened some 18 months ago. Now, one
of the anchors of Simone Square, the retail
centerpiece of Park Point, Gallery Salon TOO,
is preparing to close their doors for good.

to offer at the lovin’cup. From musicians to standup to
storytelling, you never know what you’ll get, but it’s
guaranteed to be good. Cost: Free.
Geva Theatre Center Main Stage. 75 Woodward Blvd. 9 -

WEDNESDAY

PACK FOR BREAK

11 p.m. Take a break in the middle of the week to visit the

Your room. 7 - 10 p.m. If you’re already off for break, I

theater. Written by Arthur Miller, the man who brought

hope you feel my searing jealousy; otherwise, it’s time

us “Death of a Salesman” and “The Crucible,” “The Price”

for you to start packing. That is unless you’re planning on

is sure to please. Cost: $22 - $59.

WEDNESDAY

“THE PRICE”

24

20

24

spending time at that nudist colony. Cost: Remembering
where you stashed that suitcase.

THURSDAY

25

La Maison Française, Nazareth College Campus. 4254 East

Building 77. A190 4 - 5p.m. Your winter quarter is just

Ave. 9 - 11 p.m. Celebrate the imminent end of winter

about over, which means it’s time to start looking for that

quarter with this entry in the French Film Festival. Cost:

summer co-op. Cost: Realizing that you won’t be having

Squinting at subtitles.

THURSDAY

NAZARETH FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTS: “INCH ALLAH DIMANCHE”
FINDING AND APPLYING FOR SUMMER 2010 – PART TWO

25

as much fun this summer as you thought.

7

SEMESTER SWITCH

APPROVED
by Emily Bogle | illustration by Joanna Eberts

On Feb. 10, President William
Destler made the announcement
that will change the core of the
RIT curriculum. Starting fall
of 2013, RIT will be among the
majority of higher education
institutions adhering to the

“...to expand

semester system.

the institute’s
possibilities by

That very same day, every RIT

instilling the

student received an email via the

semester system

RIT Message Center explaining the

rather than being

change and outlining how it will
take place. Destler emphasized

confined by the

that the decision was difficult and

Destler stated, “This calendar

took into account student, faculty

ensures that there will be no loss of

and staff input. Destler stated

rigor in RIT’s academic programs,

that he wanted to expand the

as it provides for 30 weeks of

to that schedule. However, not all

institute’s possibilities by instilling

instruction during the academic

potential employers were satisfied;

the semester system rather than

year, the same as is currently

one alum and co-op employer did

being confined by the “increasingly

offered under the quarter system.”

call into the Dr. Destler Show on

isolated” quarter system.

quarter system.”
- William Destler

WITR expressing that his company

want to stick with quarters. Around

utilizing the five-by-three credit

prefers to hire students enrolled

two-thirds of the 3,700 students

improved compatibility with other

model, wherein students will

in schools on the quarter system

who replied to the online calendar

schools. Students will be able to

ideally take five three-credit classes

because they are more flexible

survey stated that they would

take classes at the University of

each 15-week semester. Although a

throughout the entire year.

prefer a quarter system. Student

Rochester or Eastman School of

few faculty members recommended

Music with fewer obstacles. The

a four-by-four credit model, wherein

emphasizes that he will do all he

vote which reflected the same

number of study and work abroad

students would take four four-credit

can to refrain from increasing fees

sentiment, yet Destler decided to go

opportunities will increase since

classes each semester, Destler was

with the shift. “We must ensure

with semesters, stating that he was

most schools abroad are also on the

concerned about the lack of “variety

that no student suffers any loss of

fully aware that this would not be a

semester system.

and diversity” in that type of

progress toward a degree during

uniformly popular decision with RIT

structure. Not every class, however,

the transition; that no student’s

stakeholders (students, faculty, staff,

significantly changed. There would

will be worth three credits; year

graduation will be delayed as we

alumni and others connected to the

be at least a four week break at the

long, introduction classes will likely

make the change from quarters

institute).

end of the semester rather than a

be worth four credits, as they are

to semesters … As part of the

two week break after every quarter.

the necessary building blocks of

transition process, every student on

school that values the students

During this time, mini-semesters

certain degrees.

campus will be personally advised

above research. The primary

to ensure that this principle is

reason for the switch is to improve
graduation and retention rates at

Benefits with semesters include

The winter break will be

may be offered to allow students to

With this switch, RIT will be

‘increasingly
isolated’

Co-op requirements will need to

With all of these changes, Destler

Government also had a majority

RIT will continue to be a teaching

take intensive classes during the

be redesigned, but it will prove to

upheld in every case,” he said.

break or to catch up on classes.

be somewhat more advantageous

Student reactions have been

RIT as well as maintain the quality

for students because most

less than positive to this change.

of education. “My responsibility is

calendar change was whether the

employers hire other students

A few people called to ask Destler

ultimately to try to look into the

classes would be as academically

from semester schools, and their

why he made this change when

future and try to see what is the

challenging. To address this,

programs tend to be more tailored

student opinion reflected that they

best for [the Institute].”

One of the issues raised by the

8 News | 02.19.10

PROGRAMMING BINGE

// FOR ( VAR HAITI:CRISIS = 0; HAITI < 100; HAITI++ )

S

INCE THE earthquake in Haiti,
many people have organized
events to aid disaster relief in
their own special way.

The first of

provide a database for the Haiti

which was

Schools Situational Awareness

SAHANAPy,

group. This is an online database

an online

that characterizes the latitude

coordination

and longitude of all the schools

system to

in Haiti and includes a damage

On February 12, a group of

organize relief which lists missing

computer programmers came

people and manages donated

in any way I could help,” said

together in support of Haiti relief.

resources. The aim of this project

Alexander Dean, a project

The event, dubbed the Crisis

is to convert the not so robust

volunteer and second year

Camp Rochester Hackathon for

PHP: Hypertext Processor version

Computer Science major.

Haiti, was organized by Victoria

of SAHANAPy to the more robust

Kranchunas, a first year Game

programming language, Python.

for Haiti was just one installment

“The bugs in this project are pretty

of a continuing effort around the

Design and Development major.

report. “I wanted to get involved

The RIT Crisis Camp Hackathon

The technology based relief

big because there are a lot of

United States; therefore, all of the

effort at RIT was inspired by a

dependencies in Python,” said

work done by RIT volunteers will

Computer Science House alumni

Bryan Goldstein a second year

be continued by another group in

who participated in a Haiti

Computer Science major and

a completely different city. Crisis

programming effort in Boston.

programmer in the relief effort.

efforts like this will ensure the

The Crisis Camp Rochester

The second project involves

Hackathon for Haiti was a one

gathering information on relief

the relief databases and prevent

day event where more than 15

organizations. “It is necessary

any serious bugs from hampering
future volunteer efforts.

most relevant data is placed into

students volunteered their time

busy work,” said Michael Finegan

and programming skills in the

a graduate student in Computer

B. Thomas Golisano College of

Science. They compiled a

Computing and Information

database of contact information

edu key word Remy DeCausemaker,

Sciences to give aid to those

such as Twitter accounts, emails

who is a RIT Innovation Fellow and

impacted in the recent Haiti

addresses and phone numbers

resident Hacktivist.

quake. Hackathons like this are

for all the relief

held on different days each week

organizations. This

around the country to solve some

database lets everyone

of the technological problems

know who is giving aid,

in Haiti. RIT volunteers tackled

where and to

three separate computer and

what extent.

information based projects.

More can be found on the Innovation
Center’s blog at http://innovation.rit.

Bredvad, who could hardly believe his find, bought the album for three

Public knowledge of Destler’s album is not new; Destler discussed

dollars and tax. His Jan. 11 tweet of the album cover, and other posts,

it in a local newspaper article last year, but many students have only

10 Leisure | 02.19.10

brought to attention an artifact from some 37 years ago.

FOLK IN ITHACA

This brisk opening is followed by “Go Jump In The River,” a tongue-incheek hate song that the liner notes describe as his first kept song. Say

“I vaguely remember arriving in Ithaca, N.Y., in 1968, with a suitcase in

the notes: “…because a few people liked it (all of whom instantly became

one hand and an old beat-up-hard-to-play Framus guitar in the other

my best friends) I started to write songs on a more or less regular basis.”

thinking for sure that the only reason I wasn’t famous was because I was

Destler wrote all but 2 of the 12 songs on the album.

too modest to allow myself to be discovered,” reads the opening to the
album’s liner notes, signed by Destler.

Popular music at the time also lent its feel to Destler’s compositions.
“Back in those days, that was really the time when James Taylor first

While in Ithaca, Destler would pursue a doctorate in Applied and

came onto the scene,” he says. “He was a great influence on an awful lot

Engineering Physics at Cornell, which he obtained in 1972, some four years

of people who played, including me, and so there’s a fair amount of his

later. When he wasn’t studying during that period, Destler says, he was

influence in what I wrote during those days.”

playing music.
Ron Rutowski, a fellow Cornell graduate student and now a professor at
Arizona State University, plays guitar with Destler on most of the album.

“It was also a period of some social consciousness, and so there’s at least
one song on there that had to do with a friend of mine who went to Canada
rather than going into the military in the Vietnam War,” Destler says.

“Ithaca, I believe during the 1960s in particular, developed a very vibrant

That song, a somber, slow-paced tune called “Pack The Flag Away,” is

folk music scene and this folk music scene persisted into the 1970s,” says

about the brother of one of Destler’s grad student roommates. The lyrics

Rutowksi. Folk, traditional, and bluegrass were the sounds of 1970s Ithaca.

discuss the separation the brothers experienced:

“There was, in particular, a place on campus,” says Rutowski. “It was in
one of the law school buildings. It was called Anabel Taylor Hall, and in
that building there was sort of a stone walled and floored foyer that had a
very high domed ceiling, and the acoustics in there were really astounding
and a lot of folk musicians used to go into that place and just sit there and
play.” He and Destler met through connections formed there and at jam
sessions within the Ithaca folk scene.
Rutowski recalls Phil Shapiro’s still-r unning folk radio prog ram
“Bound for Glory” as a key part of that community. In 1973, Shapiro
approached Destler to make the album for a newly created label called
Swallowtail Records.
“The circumstance on this album, it wasn’t done in a studio. It was done
in the living room of somebody’s house,” says Rutowski. The house, out
in the country, was isolated from the interfering noise of the city. “He
[Shapiro] had set up microphones and a tape recorder, and we went over
there,” says Rutowski.

Be gone today brother.
They won’t let me stay sister.
Have to go my way mother,
though I hate to go.
Hate me if you will lover,
but I cannot kill another.
Won’t let them steal my brother
without the final note.

After agreeing on some musical arrangements, the pair recorded the
album over about two days.

“A fair amount of the album is just love songs of various kinds,” says
Destler.

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY DESTLER

BIG IN KOREA

The album is mainly an acoustic affair, marked by Destler’s trademark
croon. Layered g uitars add a warm, vibrant feel to the music. The

Destler doesn’t think many copies of the vinyl album were made.

production is tight and straightforward, simplistic by modern standards.

Most inter net references to the album are from overseas and, in

Two melodic standouts are “Septembersong ” and “G o Jump In A

particular, Asia.

River.” The former, catchy in tune and lyrics, starts the album with a
tale of reunion:

Sing back September sky
there’s only you and I.
Yesterday she called to say she’s free.
Tired of being alone,

“It is interesting, maybe this stuff all comes around at some point, about
a year ago I got contacted by somebody from Korea interested in reissuing
the record,” says Destler. “Who would have thought I’d be a popular artist
in Korea?” Does he think he is? “No,” says Destler with a laugh.
“I have fond memories of that period, but I will say that it, to some
extent, sort of feels like a picture of you when you were very young,” says
Destler. “You know, you go home and your parents show your friends
the pictures of you when you were a baby, and you sort of feel like this
was an awful long time ago, and to have it sort of resurface is kind of,
I find it, amusing.”

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The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Napa Valley, California

differentiate them from Girl Talk. Speaking of,
if you’re a fan, hit up http://thestereobomb.com,

and Development major, Brad Bambara, and his

its original vision and the innovation brought

partner in crime Brian Kecskemety are nerds,

to the home brew mash up genre? Not quite.

but if not, you can stand to wait for a later, more

but they’re on a much higher plane of nerd-dom

Don’t get me wrong, I audio-gasmed long and

focused release.

than the rest of us are; one that may actually

hard when on Bon Jovi’s “We Got It Going On”

get them laid.

and Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” met Snoop Dogg’s

The secret to their success? A special phylum

“Drop it Like It’s Hot” and Ace of Base’s “I Saw

of nerd-dom: music. A lot of us enjoy music, but

the Sign.” Everyone in the room complemented

few are obsessive enough to appreciate a wide

the skillful pairing of Eiffel 65 and Sean Kings-

range of genres and styles and notice simi-

ton, but when Taylor Swift came on, it slowly

lar patterns and themes between them. And

became evident that virtually every sample is

ALBUM | INDIETRONICA | 49 MINUTES

ONE LIFE STAND–
HOT CHIP

is very easy to get
into.

Recommended for fans of Girl Talk and DJ Shadow

BY SAM MCCORD

With this in mind, it seems like the band has
taken a step in the right direction. They have

H a v i n g t h o r-

opened up their lyrical style, including more

o u g h l y e nj o y e d

real emotion then ever before. While managing

the experience, I

to maintain their electronic roots, they have

As a first time Hot Chip listener, I went

sought out some

still sought out a fresh personality that has

into this album with zero expectations.

of Hot C h ip’s

been f leshed out with mainstream style. The

Hype has been growing for this band,

earlier tunes for

combination of style across tracks should help

and with their latest album release a few

more perspective.

them maintain their fan base while attracting a

Th is being t hei r

whole new segment that is sure to love the new

weeks ago, I decided it was time to find
out just how much of the hype was warranted.

fourth album, I had plenty to choose from and

sound. Hopefully, they will continue along this

opted for their next most recent album, “Made

new path. If “One Life Stand” is any indication,

“One Life Stand” is a synth-pop treat filled with

in the Dark.” Expecting more of the same. I was

it is sure to serve them well.

lush lyrics and lofty instrumentals. Imagine a

disappointed to find an inconsistent collection

mashup of the Flaming Lips and MGMT after

littered with rough tracks that had none of the

a few songwriting lessons from Coldplay and

polish of “One Life Stand.” It lacked the lyrical

you’ll start to get the idea. It is an extremely

softness and pop feel that had made its succes-

upbeat but mellow and thoughtful album that

sor so successful.

From an unbiased perspective, this album,

14 Leisure | 02.19.10

BY ALEX PAGLIARO

AT YOUR LEISURE 02.19.10

CARTOON BY BEN RUBIN AND JAMIE DOUGLAS

BY ALEX ROGALA

STREAM OF FACTS
The Salisbury Cathedral, located in Salisbury,
England, is home to Europe’s oldest CLOCK.
The Doomsday CLOCK is a symbolic clock created
by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists in 1947. It
estimates how close the world is to destruction
by how many minutes there are to midnight. As
of Jan. 10, the clock is at 6 minutes to MIDNIGHT.
The phrase “Burning the MIDNIGHT oil”, which
means working late into the night, has its
origins in the oil needed to POWER oil lamps.
The human brain has modest POWER
requirements, using roughly 14 watts while in
deep THOUGHT.
Originally THOUGHT to have been left by Tony
summit sparked speculation about the inner
thoughts of the former British Prime Minister.
Eager gossipers were later disappointed when
the sketches turned out to be the product of
computer-whiz Bill GATES.
The Piper at the GATES of Dawn, the 1967 debut
by British rockers Pink Floyd was a watershed
release in the genre of psychedelic rock. Far
different from the band’s later works, the album
was notable for the inclusion of works by thenfrontman Syd Barrett, who was fired from the
band as a result of SCHIZOPHRENIC behavior.

SCHIZOPHRENIC people are more likely to

5

QUOTE:
“THE WORLD IS LIKE A RIDE
AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK,
AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE
TO GO ON IT, YOU THINK
IT’S REAL BECAUSE THAT’S
HOW POWERFUL OUR
MINDS ARE.”
- Bill Hicks

4

1

2

8

8
1
1

1

4

8

2

9

4

3

6

2

9

5

5
3
7

8

5

REPORTER
RECOMMENDS:

3
2

9

2

3

4

2

8

1

7

5

2

9

4

4
7

SUDOKU Difficulty Rating: Easy

Blair, doodles found at a desk at a 2005 economic

WORD OF THE WEEK

be smokers than others, according to the

NOT FAILING ALL YOUR CLASSES

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Roughly 80

So Week 10 came and reared its ugly head,

percent of schizophrenics smoke, compared

and you can’t wait to be done classes.

to 20 PERCENT of the normal population.

However, there lies a nefarious enemy

HABERDASHER

between you and your much-coveted

n. a dealer in men’s clothing and accessories.

The PERCENT sign has its origins in the Italian
phrase “per cento”, meaning “for a hundred.”

spring (February) break — finals. So close

The shape itself grew out of a P over the word

to freedom, yet so far. Yet the light is at the

cento, as all but the “o” were eventually dropped.

end of the tunnel. Hang in there soldier,
Reporter salutes you.

OVERSEEN &
OVERHEARD

“This is a little

awkward. I don’t
want to catch what
she has.”

Definition taken from http://merriam-webster.com.

“French people
talk like raptors.”

computer in GLBT

-Male student in Cross-

office looking at

roads

The HABERDASHER offered a wide array of silly
hats and bowties in his store.

Four guys around

porn.

-Male student outside
Building 7A

Photo on Right:
Sweet Park-Job

NOW ACCEPTING YOUR TWEETS! Send your Overseen and Overhead texts or emails with the phrase “Overseen
and Overheard” in the subject line to leisure@reportermag.com. Or submit them via Twitter by directing
submissions @reportermag with #OnO.

15

get your
shit
together
by Emily Mohlmann and John Howard | Illustration by Nate Peyton

Clusterfuck. That’s one way to describe it. The

According to Sifu Austin Baddeley, an adjunct

amount of st ress in your l ife has become so

profe s sor at R I T ’s Center for Intercol leg iate

out rageous you’ve st ar ted mak ing bet s w it h

Athletics & Recreation, the mental process upon

floormates on who’s going to have the first panic

encountering the mountain lion is the same as

at tack. Cancerous piles of paper and clot hes

when you run into a professor that you owe an

swell as you turn your nose to the symptoms of

overdue assignment to. It’s stress, and on a more

their presence. Even your schedule is weak; a $1

biological level, a survival technique.

Walmart organizer that’s collected more dust than
appointments controls it. This is your life.
Stress, mess and diff icult schedules are the
chaos t hat comes hand-in-hand w it h college

chemical response is what’s called fight or flight,”
said Baddeley.

living. Your life absorbs clutter like a fat kid absorbs

Baddeley, or Sifu for short, is the head of the kung

carbohydrates. But there is good news: people do

fu program at RIT. He has been at RIT since 1991,

survive this madness of academia with only minor

transitioning right from being a student to being

psychological damage. And no, we’re not going to

a professor. Among the other classes he instructs,

throw any of that “a clean room is a happy room”

including self-defense and a massage therapy

nonsense at you. What with Facebook, Twitter, and

program that he is the assistant to, Baddeley teaches

spam email you get quite enough thrown at you

a wellness course in stress management.

already. You have to come and get this.

The Mind

16 Features | 02.19.10

“Whether it is a physical, mental or emotional
st ressor t hat i s af fec t i ng t he p er son, t he

He describes stress as the body’s natural reaction
to outside inf luences that causes pressure. For
students, the greatest pressure comes from academic
stress, the pressure put on yourself and the perceived

While on vacation in California over spring break, you

pressure of family and friends to achieve success.

go for a hike on a small mountain. The heat overtakes

Social stress, especially with first year students

your body, and you decide to cool off in a passing

transitioning to college life, also plays a role in this

stream. As you splash water in your face, the sound

overall pressure.

of the raging rapids scream over the rest of nature’s

“Stress is a very much an individual, or unique

musical score. But when you turn to leave, a mountain

re sp on se to ever yone,” sa id Baddeley. “[You

lion blocking your path back to civilization. Its teeth

shouldn’t] subscr ibe to the 12 step, buy these

bared, you quickly scan through the past four season’s

DVD’s you’ll be stress free … Find something that

of “Man vs. Wild” to figure out your next step.

works for you.”

Baddeley presents a variety of stress relieving

“Humans like to be in social groups,” Baddeley

zone has a different function and it is important

activities to his class that may or may not help

said. “When they feel a part of something, they

to consider what you need to access while using

them. Students are presented with breathing

feel comfort from it, and if you’re stressed,

in each space.

techniques and relaxation exercises. In a dim-lit

comfort in any way is a great thing.”

room, the class sits back absorbed by meditation

The Space
Around You

drawers or a closet. If this student couldn’t

Students are also introduced to things like Tai

Part of what’s stressing you out might ver y

desk around and put it up against that closet to

chi to release stress in joints, and the eastern

well be your drawer t hat ’s so f ull it won’t

offer an additional wall to the room and close

way of thinking native to countries like India,

close, the stack of papers on your desk that

off the access to the drawers. Clear shoe bags,

China and Japan. He contrasts the eastern idea

take f light ever y time you walk pass, or the

each with 24 compartments were then hung to

of taking ownership for one’s actions, with the

stock pile of dir t y laundr y that star t ing to

for items like belts and underwear. Color coded

mentality of the United States, passing the

reach for air from underneath your bed.

hampers used for laundry, the clean clothes

music, while four-count breathing; in deep
through the nose (one), hold (two), out through
the mouth (three), hold (four).

She recalled one st udent t hat didn’t use
see something it didn’t exist to him. In this
particular case, in order to open up the living
space of the dorm room, Goldberg turned the

bucket and an imaginary “basket” where chores

Fo r c ol l e g e s t u d e nt s , o r g a n i z at i on i s a

residing in the white hamper and the dirty

go when we put them off. The basket, once full,

categor y often shoved aside to make room

clothes in the black hamper. A shelf above his

can itself become a stressor.

for all-nighter study sessions and microwave

bed acted as a grooming station.

To Baddeley st ress can b e broken dow n

food. But keeping things neat and tidy can

“It doesn’t mean that it’s perfect on a daily

into three categories: physical, mental and

b e b e n e f i c i a l t o y o u r s u c c e s s at s c h o o l ,

basis,” said Goldberg. “You try to categorize

emotional. After breaking down the category

especially for st udent s l iv ing in t he close

things and put them together.”

of “stress,” he illustrates the importance of

quar ters of dor m life. And let’s face it, the

Designating areas where things belong creates

identifying where stress is coming from. This

mag ic clean up fair y that you be praying to

a structure to your room and eliminates the

is accomplished by keeping a stress journal

come to take out your t rash and fold your

need for picking up every day. While deciding

and looking for patterns. Lists of assignments

sweaters ain’t show ing up. You’re going to

where things go, it’s important to remember

and obligations in the form of PDAs, planners;

have to take action.

vertical space to increase your floor area. Wall

immersing yourself in a creative activity, such

Donna Goldberg, founder of The Organized

putty and hooks that don’t leave marks can

as reading, drawing, or even playing video

Student, which is a firm based in New York

be ver y useful for students in dorms. Once

games; or simply “taking five” from something

City, has seen it all. Getting involved in the

you have a place for all you stuff, Goldberg

you’re working on all can reduce this stress.

organization field when she found a series of

recommends organizing every Sunday. This

I f st r e s s p er s i st s, Baddele y enc ou r ag e s

a s s ig n ment s t h at

st udent s to seek help at t he va r iet y of

her son, Noah, had

resources R IT has to offer. Things like the

completed and lost

A c ad me ic Sup p or t C e nt e r, F i n a nc i a l A id

in his scat tered

Office, the Woman’s Center, and the Smoking

room that she and

Cessat ion prog ram t hat offers many of its

he r s on’s t e ac he r

resources and products for free to students

had

t r y ing to qu it. When st udent s are feel ing

he h ad n’t done.

over whelmed, they are encouraged to seek

Throughout her

help at the Counseling Center, which has a

career, Goldberg has

24-hour hotline (585.295.3533).

organized junior

assumed

not only allows you to feel

“People who are
procrastinating...
t hey’r e goi ng to
find any thing to
procrastinate with,”

prepared for t he week to
come, it can help you catch
any task or assignment you
may have forgotten about
while cleaning up.
For students suffocating
i n pap er s on t hei r de sk ,
G oldb er g r e c om mend s a
desktop file box, available at
Office Depot (item number

A long w it h t he s e t e c h n ique s, howe ver,

high up to the g raduate students and even

16966 4). Here you can store and org an ize

B adde le y emph a s i z e s t he i mp or t a nc e of

some executives and professionals. And like

everything for an entire year of school by folder; a

getting active to avoid loneliness. Activities

stress management, Goldberg spotlights the

folder should be assigned for each class you take,

like club sports or outing club can be physically

importance of what will benefit each particular

as well as each aspect of your personal life, be it

beneficial, but also mentally and emotionally

individual she is working with.

resumes, bills, prescriptions or banking. Goldberg

relieving. Sports, clubs and organizations join

“It’s really important to structure your dorm

also stressed the importance of a physical sheet

students with common interests and gets them

room in the way that you work,” Goldberg said.

of paper, rather than having handouts “stored”

talking in a social setting, and any activity, be

“It functions as a sleeping area; you entertain,

online in places like MyCourses. As an additional

it going to the gym, taking a wellness class, or

work, as well as groom in that area.”

reminder, students can leave the handouts of

joining the Game Developers club, falls under
this category.

18 Features | 02.19.10

G oldb erg recom mends t h i n k i ng of you r
personal living space in terms of zones. Each

important assignments sticking up from their
folder as a visual aid.

The problem of organization stems from the fact

I’ve been gaming, or on Facebook, or texting,” said

organizer, similar to Goldberg’s suggestion, is a

that, for most students, college is the first time

French, impersonating a common complaint of her

color-coded system that marks all assignments for

away from their parents. A lot of the tasks they

students.

an entire quarter based on the syllabi you receive at

must think about are new to them, like planning
meals and even doing laundry.
“There are messy people, and there are truly
disorganized people,” said Goldberg.
For messy people, there’s good news. They know

“People who are procrastinating… they’re going

the beginning from your instructors. You can make

to find anything to procrastinate with,” said

multiple copies of the grid and hang it where you

French. “Whatever it is that seems more interesting

can see it, however, French recommends a physical

or less threatening than what they need to be

planner or agenda to carry around at all times for

doing.”

specifics on short-term projects. Both the weekly

how to be organized. It’s an instinctual sense

To French it’s easy to blame technology for

that they’ve obtained from being taught by their

students’ procrastinate, but procrastination is

parents or siblings. The obstacle is only a matter

rooted in a psychological base; the fear of failure

“It does take some time upfront, but forming

of self-determination. For students who were

and the fear of success. Other not-so-obvious time

these habits is really going to save a lot of time,

not exposed to tasks like how to maintain their

wasters include things like studying in groups

and it’s going to save on the stress and anxiety

clothing, food and living space by growing up, they

where, although everyone is having a good time,

piece too,” said French. “It’s never too late to start

have to start for the beginning and learn the basics.

one hour’s worth of work becomes four because of

and work on some of these things.”

Your Time

socialization. To overcome these obstacles takes
self-discipline.

planner sheet and the quarter grid print outs are
available at ASC’s website (http://rit.edu/asc).

The ASC offers a one-hour workshop on time
management and study skills every Tuesday

Goldberg’s work extends from space management

In order to remove distraction, it is important

during the regular quarter and some wildly

into the subject of time management, as the

to find your ideal study space. Even if working on

popular tutoring sessions that are open to the

two are often related. For her, color coded grids

your bed with Iron Maiden blaring is where you’re

public during finals week. This quarter’s finals

according to class title are a good way of visually

most comfortable, it isn’t exactly the place you’re

tutoring session are in the Bates Study Center (08-

seeing the tasks at hand and it is important to keep

most productive. And no, this doesn’t mean having

1200) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday,

in mind that 16 credit hours equals 38 study hours

to work in the library all the time. The goal is to

and Wednesday; and on Thursday from 9 a.m.

when planning ahead with your schedule.

not be distracted.

to 3 p.m. For tutoring action on the dorm side of

Paula French, a study skills instructor and coach

“If you’re someone that requires busy noise and

campus visit the Sol Study Center (47-1016) on

at the Academic Support Center, has a particularly

you don’t like the silence, find a coffee shop or a

Monday and Tuesday from 7p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit

strong grasp on how RIT students spend their time.

cafeteria,” said French.

http://rit.edu/asc for more details.

She describes time management in terms of three

When creating a schedule it is important to

So there it is. Take a moment to absorb it all. It

categories: self-management, organization, and

keep in mind when and where you are losing

may seem like a lot, but baby steps… baby steps.

time management tools.

time. To identify these slots, keep an hourly log of

These aren’t changes you have to make overnight.

“168,” French proclaimed before I could even

everything you do from wake up time to lights out.

The more you implement them, the better

finish my question. She was referring to number

Having a layout in front of you will help reorganize

you’ll get at maintaining an organized lifestyle.

of hours in a week, a number that all students

your day-to-day. This includes important, but not

Encourage yourself along the way. Blow a train

should have in mind in order to maximize their

necessarily obvious tasks like cooking, grocery

whistle like Michael Scott; whatever it takes. It

productivity. To French, if it doesn’t feel like work,

shopping, sleeping, and travel to and from school.

only takes three weeks to form a habit; that’s only

In terms of big-picture planning, French suggests

21 days. Invest in yourself and start some good

it probably isn’t productive.
“I have a project, I sit down to do it, and three

a quarter grid, or a quarter-at-a-glance sheet. This

habits today.

hours later, five hours, six hours, … I recognize that

Eustress

= good stress; the force that
causes
you to achieve.

Distress

= bad stress.
Steps to reduce stress:
• Write schedule.
• Identify stressor.
• Take advantage of RIT: Become aware of
what RIT has to offer in terms of classes and
departments.

9. Keep tabs on your motivation. Consider how you can control or change your attitude toward
your academics.
10. Evaluate your time management system. Finding the tools that work for you may take time.

19

A DOZEN PIANOS
LATER
Compulsive Hoarding

by Michael Barbato | photographs by Aly Artusio-Glimpse

Piles of dung, urine, sticks, and other garbage

resembled Roman columns, to a half-built car, to at least a dozen pianos. For their

dimple the landscape of the Southeast United States. These

syndrome, they paid the ultimate price. After a tremendous, multistory avalanche

heaps of refuse are the country homes of nature’s most

within their home, both were trapped. On March 21, 1947, firemen found Homer

cunning collector, the woodrat. More appropriately dubbed

already dead from starvation and dehydration. It took another 18 days for officials

the packrat, these tiny hoarders put together extravagant

to dig out the smothered body of Langley, asphyxiated by a mound of old Christmas

medleys of knickknacks, making even the most sophisticated

trees and newspaper.

collectors jealous. Much like their human counterparts, the

The urge to hoard is clearly based on years of adaptation, said Tom Waite, a biologist

packrat creates aggregations of what most would consider

at Ohio State University. In the animal world, the instinct to stockpile has been

useless junk. But to the hoarder and the packrat alike the

evolutionary significant to survival. This skill is observed in most wildlife trying to

seemingly useless trinkets serve some unperceivable but

make it through tough times. The packing away of nuts by squirrels and bulking up of

necessary purpose.

bears in preparation for winter is just one example.

For decades, experts have viewed compulsive hoarding

Waite also suggested that this same urge to hoard may originate from mating

as a symptom and a subset manifestation of obsessive-

practices. Before pairing with a mate, some male penguins stockpile stones and

compulsive disorder. Recent in depth studies suggest it

a few varieties of fish. “It’s called resource-holding potential, and it’s a way of

is more aptly a distinct disorder w ith its own whacky

advertising to a mate your true Darwinian fitness,” Waite stated in the October 2004

effect on brain chemistry. Not only that, but just as the

issue of Discover. In humans with disposophobia, this primitive survival instinct

diag nost ic f loodgates gave way to A DD, increasing ly

goes berserk. They hold on to everything, because their subconscious loses control

more people are being diagnosed with disposophobia, the

over the primal instinct to hoard.

compulsion to stockpile.

A 61-year-old man from Hartford, Conn. once kept his house in such disarray that

Brothers, Homer and Langley Collyer, were known to stow

he lost a six-figure check from the sale of his parents’ house. “You can’t imagine

away everything within their home in Harlem, N.Y. They kept

my total embarrassment at having to call the real estate attorney and ask for a new

everything in their house, from towers of newspapers that

one,” he said at a meeting of the Clutter Workshop, a support group for compulsive

20 Features | 02.10.09

hoarders. Embarrassment is a common effect

wine bottles that sometimes give people the

an engagement ring. Many psychologists turn

of the disorder. Most become embarrassed to

wrong impression about her. “I don’t even really

the blame on modeling and genetics like Randy

have friends over, especially their children’s

like wine. Only a few of them were even mine.”

Frost of Smith College. The actual technical

friends. In some cases, hoarders fill every nook

Ryan believes her hoarding nature has a

working of it may be emotional or the inability

and cranny of their houses to the point where

familial origin. Her mother and grandmother

to make a decision. Sufferers may simply not be

they can no longer open doors to rooms, use

were both considered hoarders. Small

able to decide whether to throw an item away

their bed, or reach the sink. Their ability to keep

mountains of books piled clutter the corners

or simply keep it, just in case they need it again.

organized completely breaks down.

of her mot her’s house, as well as a rat her

Ryan’s compulsion may stem from an artistic

“Some nights I don’t sleep, just clean — I

large teacup collection. And never once has

personality. She has made several of her wine

want my things to be organized,” said Katie

she deleted a single email from her inbox.

bottles into vases and lamps and uses them

Ryan, a second year Photog raphy major. “I

Her grandma was known to hold on to pieces

as props in practical jokes. “My friends and

keep lists — to do lists, movie lists, and book

of paper. Ryan said she had even seen her

I once arranged the bottles as if a huge party

lists. They are color-coded, alphabetized, and

grandma’s absentee slip for missing seventh

took place the night before. When my friends’

arranged by genre.”

grade basketball practice.

parents came by, we each held bottles to feign

Ryan considers herself a hoarder. She finds

How many people have disposophobia, and

herself collecting random odds and ends like

why is it so pronounced in certain individuals?

For Ryan, it may be the joy and continual

bottle caps, wine bottles and journals. In the

To answer these questions, researchers would

use she gets from her collections that compels

past year, she has filled four journals, each

have to get passed the realm of the secrecy

her to stockpile. There is no sure-fire way to

about 200 pages, give or take. Ever y page is

that hoarders often create to conceal their

rid an individual of this disorder because it is

decorated with drawing, quotes, pictures and

compulsion. Despite the shyness of sufferers,

completely psychological. Sometimes a hoarder

the occasional movie stub. She is hoarding her

some revealing insights have been made about

will never stockpile again after a weekend of

own memories. Ryan’s current focus, however,

the origins of the disorder. It is often a family

cleaning everything out. Others will revert back.

is on cigarette packs; she is collecting as many

trait, as observed for Ryan.

No one really knows how to treat the disorder

as she can, although she has “no idea” what she

like we were drunk.”

For some affected individuals, they would

and only the future may bring a cure. Until

v i e w a s l ip of p ap e r w it h g r e at emot ion

then, these packrats will continue to hoard,

The shelves in Ryan’s bedroom are completely

attaching all their exper iences that led to

reinforcing the old adage, “One man’s trash is

covered with knickknacks, and the abundant

finding it to it, much like the emotion placed on

another man’s treasure.”

will use them for yet.

21

CLINICAL
STUDY
T H E

R O C H E S T E R

VICTORY

ALLIANCE

WANTED:
Healthy Young Men!
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center
are looking for healthy men to participate in a research
study. They want to find out if your mother's experience
during pregnancy (such as the foods she ate) and your own
lifestyle affect your physical and reproductive health.

of

Participants will receive $75.
You must be healthy, born after December 31, 1987, and
able to make one office visit taking about one hour. You
will also be asked to contact your mother and ask her to
complete a short questionnaire. We'll send her a small gift
of appreciation!
To learn more, call the study team at (585) 275-4149.
Then, spread the word and invite your friends to call, too.

of

DO YOU

WANT TO

CHANGE
THE WORLD?
As a program analyst for the EPA, recent RIT master’s grad
Katie Kimmel is improving the effectiveness of the
government’s environmental programs. Her RIT MS degree in
Science, Technology and Public Policy, paved the way.

Wondering how you can contribute to solving
society’s most pressing problems: climate change,
economic competitiveness, alternative energy,
and sustainability? Then this innovative masters
program is for you!

MFA in
EMErgEnT
MEdiA
The future is in the eyes
of the innovators.
Create. Collaborate. Innovate.
Are you ready to write the next chapter of
the digital revolution? Champlain's residential
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) has been designed
for a select group of individuals who are ready
to explore the bounds of their own creativity,
develop the skills to master the technology,
and flourish in a collaborative environment.
Envision your future with us.

AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE

An Individualized Interactive Web Experience

To learn more about our MFA in Emergent Media,
visit our augmented reality experience at

Previous US Passport
Payment for Fees
Naturalization Certificate
Current Valid Driver’s License $75 for the US Department of State
Current Valid Government ID $25 for the Monroe County Clerk
Current Valid Military ID
$7 if you need photos taken
cash, credit, or check

Get your passport on campus!
Brought to you by the RIT Study Abroad Office
In Cooperation with the Monroe County Clerk

For More INFO Visit Studyabroad.rit.edu
23

THREE
STARS

by Sam McCord | photographs by Jake Hamm

Danielle

FURMAN
Danielle Furman (#24) is undoubtedly the
lady Tigers’ unsung hero, not only breaking
RIT’s previous field goal record with an astounding 123, but also smashing RIT’s alltime high free-throw percentage with a
.85. Sure, Furman may be an inhuman
basketball sinking automaton, but
don’t be too intimidated when
you see her wrecking face on
the court, she’s just a person like the rest of us.
Or so we think.

Let’s get all in your face and put
all her accomplishments right after

like her Jan. 26 bout with Alfred. The

her forthcoming degree in graphic

Before her time at RIT, she attend-

each other in list form: in her second

Tigers may have been upset at the

media, she seems real keen on the

ed Coudersport High School in Penn-

season, she set the RIT and Empire

last moment, but that didn’t stop

idea of coaching, regardless of level.

sylvania, where she received four

8 free throw percentage with a sink

Fruman from leading the team in not

“Really anything to be around the

varsity letters and earned captain as

percentage of 91.4, led the team in

only points, but assists and steals as

a senior. Her high school average of

assists with 88, matched her career

well.

24 Sports | 02.19.10

game,” she adds.

THREE
STARS

by Alex Rogala

Caitlyn

BURR
Stats

own records set the

2006-2007:

previous season.

State title in 100-yard

School’s Women’s Swim team.
When it came time to choose a

Despite a l l t hese

college, Burr was at a crossroads.
“It was between RIT and Ithaca, and

butterfly All-Empire 8 Rookie

feat s, it was really

of Meet Female Athlete of the

her third season

[my sister Theresa] was here,” she

Week twice

where Bur r tr uly

said on her decision to choose RIT.

shined. Out of the 54

“It was a comfort thing.” Following

2007-2008:

events she competed

in Theresa’s footsteps, she also

Swam at Division III

in, she finished first

joined the Women’s Swim Team,

NCAA Swimming & Diving

3 8 d i f ferent t i me s.

and the rest was history.

Championships

During the NCAA Di-

Her favorite match was the 2009

vision III Swimming

UNYSCSA state championships,

Earned All-Empire 8 Honors

and Div ing Cham-

where she won of all three of the

pionships in Dallas,

events she was participating in.

2008-2009:

Texas., she earned an

Despite the heavy time commit-

Division III NCAA Swimming &

All-American, RIT’s

ment required for swimming, Burr

Diving Championships

first participant to do

somehow manages to f ind t he

All-American

so since 1993.

time to participate in other activi-

First in state in 200-yard
butterfly Earned four Empire 8
Honors

Burr cites her par-

ties as well. Outside of swimming,

ent s as a key i nf lu-

she is a member of both the Stu-

ence in developing her

dent Athlete Advisory Committee

active lifestyle. “My parents tried to keep me as

(SAAC) and the Next Generation of
Accountants (NGA).

busy as possible,” said Burr.

Burr is expected to graduate this

She began swimming when she

spring and after RIT, she hopes

was roughly five years old. “My

to attend graduate school for ac-

mom has been my coach since

counting. Eventually, she would

I was really little,” she said her

like to earn her Certified Public

mom was a local swim instruc-

Accountant title. At the moment,

Joining a sports team is an immense commitment, both in
terms of time and energy. Yet, a select few manage to find
the time to balance sports and academics effortlessly, while
still having time left over to pursue other interests. Take for
example, Caitlin Burr, a fourth year accounting major from
Delhi, N.Y. Burr has become the darling of the Women’s Swim
Team, stealing our hearts in the process.

tor. She qu ick ly

however, she’s quite focused on

took to the activ-

finishing out her final season with

ity, even at such a

a bang. From Feb. 18 to 20, she’ll

young age. “I have

be at the Empire 8 Championships

all these v ideo

in Syracuse, N.Y. She hopes that

tapes of me doing

she’ll make a showing at the NCAA

the back f lip and

Championships in March and feels

the front flip, and

that with her scores, she’ll make

I was so good at

the cut.

it,” she said with
a laugh.

As for the remainder of her time
at RIT? “I guess staying active is

Burr’s praise is not unfounded.

setting three school records. Her

Bur r maintained her heav ily

Throughout her time at RIT, she

work paid off, as she was named

active schedule throughout high

the main thing,” says Burr. “I used
to play softball and basketball in

has earned the team a string of im-

Empire 8 Rookie of the Meet at the

school, joining basketball and

high school, and I miss it so much.

pressive accolades. During her first

2007 Division III Swimming and

softball in addition to swimming.

Once I’m [finished with swimming]

season at RIT, Burr quickly made

Diving Championships. Back in her

Eventually her efforts paid off,

I’ll probably try doing a lot more

herself known, winning the state

second year, she earned All-Empire

and she became senior captain

with intramurals.”

title in the 100-yard butterfly and

8 honors and broke several of her

of the Delaware Academy High

25

THREE
STARS

by Madeleine Villavicencio

The score was tied 5-5 in the final
period with seconds left on the clock.
The Tigers were rallying after a 4-1
def icit early in the second per iod.
Tension was high as the sea of orange
and brown rose to their feet. Cheers
filled the rink, but they were cut
short by a very brief moment of
silence. With 1.5 seconds left on
the clock, first year Business
Manag ement major Dan
Ringwald dodged an opposing
defenseman lurking near the
blue line, shot and scored –
all on the power play. The
bu zzer r a ng , sig n i f y i ng
an epic w in against t he
Mercyhurst Lakers. It was
Feb. 16, 2007.

to ensure efficient goal accomplishment, you might want to consider the most efficient organizer of

can be answered in only one way:

all: the trash can. This is not to say we need to deposit all of our belongings in the nearest landfill.

I gotta buy more shit.

Craigslist is a great place to give stuff to people who need it for little or no cost. Consider a church

Now don’t get me wrong. I love the feeling of

or local thrift charity, which can unload your things on people who haven’t learned your secret yet.

new shit. I don’t care if it’s from a thrift store,

Balance is the key word to remember here. No one is advocating jettisoning your possessions,

the feeling of a owning something new is close

because the aliens aren’t coming for at least another 50 years. What needs to be jettisoned is the frame

to my heart. It’s as American as apple pie. But

of mind that is more attached to organizing, watching and touching things as if they were people.

that pie is pumped full of artificial flavors, fatty
preservatives, and is covered in layers of nonbiodegradable wrapping. Materialism and waste
are hurting our culture and the world around
us, but most importantly, as outlined in the
previous features, it’s a headache.
The freedom to own more things, to buy more
shit, is compounded by the equally universal
American sentiment: getting bored of that shit,
and finding the quickest way to store it and
keep it out of other people’s hands. In addition
to public storage, there are entire professions
and industries dedicated to helping other people
keep track of what they have and don’t have.
Time is a valuable asset, and it seems like every
modern gadget is in some way dedicated to
helping you save that precious resource. But
with every time saving innovation, why do we
seem to have less of it at our disposal?
As college students, there is the understood
goal to get “the good job,” so as to get a better
career, and allow us to buy the important things
in life: the fancier DVD collection, the more
fashionable ladies undergarments, the fly kicks,
and even that really big jar of peanut butter.
But have we lost sight of a g reat v ir t ue?
The joy of simplicity, of not having to worry
about managing your things as if they were
remote extensions of your body. Perhaps I’ve
watched too many disaster movies, but there
is something terribly sexy about being able to

27

ing
for a n

ew

Look

place to l i v e?

Our 10, 12 & 24 month lease options are designed with students in mind!

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WORD ON THE STREET

WHAT
DO YOU
COLLECT?
photographs by
MOHAMED SADEK

VINYL

SPORKS

“I’VE BEEN COLLECTING VINYL SINCE I WAS 12.”

“IT’S CONVIENT, FUN AND STICKING IT TO THE MAN.”

BRANDON BROWN | Computer Engineering | First Year

DAVID BEYERLEIN | University Studies | First Year

REPORTER MAGAZINE
“I HEARD THE APRIL FOOLS ONE WAS PRETTY GOOD I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT
THEM FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR I’LL PROBABLY COLLECT THEM UNTIL I GRADUATE.”
NICK ALLEN | Information Security and Forensics | First Year

compiled by Amanda Szczepanski and Moe Sedlak | illustration by Jamie Douglas
All messages subject to editing and truncation. Not all messages will be run.

REPORTER reserves the right to publish all messages in any format.

WEDNESDAY, 4:16 P.M.

HEY RINGS, I HAVE A DILEMMA, AND I JUST
WANTED TO ASK YOU. SOME GUY TOLD ME
THAT IF I RINSED MY MOUTH WITH SEMEN,
IT GETS YOUR TEETH WHITER THAN CREST
STRIPS. WHATCHA THINK?
from call

from call

I GOT MY FRIEND A STRIPPER FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.
SHE HUMPED HIS FACE, AND NOW HE HAS CRABS
IN HIS MUSTACHE. IS IT MY FAULT?
from call

SUNDAY, 3:37 A.M.

WE JUST HAD A NAKED
VOLLEYBALL GAME IN THE
MIDDLE OF OUR APARTMENT
BUILDING WITH SOME OF OUR
NEIGHBORS. YEA, WE’RE STILL
NAKED. AND SOME FAT KID
CAME IN AND GOT UNDRESSED
AND RUINED IT FOR EVERYONE.
from call

MONDAY, 10:37 P.M.

I was trying to
pour cough syrup
with the lights
off so I wouldn’t
wake up my
roommate, and I
ended up spilling
everywhere. So,
I had to turn the
light on anyway
to clean it up, and
now it looks like
a smurf [jacked
the beanstalk] on
my floor.

FRIDAY, 10:04 A.M.

SUNDAY, 7:33 P.M.

Next time you get the chance, feel Ritchie’s nose. It feels [orgasmic].
from text

THURSDAY, 11:23 P.M.

I was walking to
my car in U-lot,
and I saw a bra
on the ground. So
somewhere on
campus, a girl is
running around
without a bra… at
least I hope it’s a girl.
from call

FRIDAY, 10:04 A.M.

I JUST DOWNLOADED
“NEW MOON” OFF OF
THE [HUBBA BUBBA]
AND CRIED WHEN
IT TURNED INTO GAY
PORN. SOME GUY
HERE HAS WAY TOO
MUCH TIME ON HIS
HANDS [AND KNEES.]
from call

TUESDAY, 9:31 P.M.
Five of us were at the
RIT Men’s Basketball
game and we just got
kicked out for chanting,
“Nuts and bolts. Nuts and
bolts. We got screwed.”
Correct me if I’m wrong,
but this is college, not
elementary school, right?
from call

TUESDAY, 9:21 P.M.

HEY RINGS, I’M AT JAVA WALLY’S, AND I JUST CHECKED MY EBAY. I’M SELLING TWO VIDEO
CAMERAS, AND I’VE GOT A PORNOGRAPHER WHO WANTS TO BUY THEM! HE OFFERED TO PAY ME
IN ADULT VIDEOS — WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?